Everything Is Relative
by increak96
Summary: Kaname's lost it, Zero is locked in his basement, Ichiru and Aido have to get help, Akatsuki is worried sick over his cousin, and all of this is seen differently by each character. Guess it really DOES depend on perspective. Crackish.
1. Chapter 1

**A\N PLEASE READ: So, just ahead of time I want y'all to know I don't usually write like this. But I'm a people pleaser, so I try different styles or writing. This one is very loose, not overly detailed, and with a kind of humorous OOC twist to it. You can take it or leave it, but if you don't like this style, don't discount all my stories, please! This is a new area for me, and not one of my best works. Ahead of time, I'll tell you this is NOT yaoi\slash, even if Zero and Kaname have quite a few scenes together, and Kaname is EVIL. If you are a Kaname, I do not recommend reading this. At all. Whatsoever.**

**NOW THAT THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY: I don't own anything, Matsuri Hino does. PLEASE ENJOY!**

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><p>**Zero's POV**<p>

Dead. They all think I'm dead. Well, why would they think otherwise? After all, _he _continues to tell them every night how _sorry _he is for their _loss_. Pfft. Sure. Sure he is. He's not sorry at all. Wanna know how I know? Maybe it's because I'm locked in his basement. That just might be it. I dunno... you'd have to check with me tonight when he comes in to humiliate and beat on me again. Then I might have a better answer.

Maybe.

Sometimes... I wonder if he ever plans on letting me out... or if he'll kill me... or if he'll just stop coming and let me rot down here. Then... I begin to wonder which one I would prefer. I think I would prefer to rot. Then (here is where I start to scare myself) I start to think that maybe I could consider the idea or begging him to do just that. Of course, you understand, this is where I slap myself extremely hard.

Did you, by any chance, know there is nothing more annoying than a pureblood? Moreso, there is nothing more disgusting, infuriating, or completely blood-boiling than a pureblood. Except... well... there is that one thing.

A pureblood named is Kaname Kuran.

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><p><strong>A\N: Not much to say… it's really short, but they'll get longer, though not overly long. Basically, Kaname has Zero in his basement. And that's about it. Happens after episode 13, right before guilty, which (in this storyline) doesn't happen because… well, it's obvious.<strong>

**Review if ya wanna!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Zero's POV**

I hear a door close upstairs (it closed rather loudly) and sigh, knowing exactly what's coming. I close my lavender eyes and embrace that last few moments of Kuranless darkness before forcing myself to watch the door and wait for the demon to return to his lair—i.e., my prison.

My eyes narrow as the lock clicks. I feel that familiar hatred and anger well up in my chest, and my stomach tightens in a knot. I clench my teeth and feel myself start to shake from rage—heh, and he hasn't even entered the room yet.

The door slides open smoothly, and an 'angelic' and 'elite' brunette enters the room, smirking at me haughtily. That stupid smirk... to kill him... just to wrap my hands around his slender, _un-pierced_ neck! And just squeeze, squeeze, squeeze until he's a pile of dust on the floor! I want to hear him scream and beg _me _for mercy, just once! One time, is that too much to ask?

"I'm afraid it is," he says to me, his voice patronizing.

I curse under my breath, and instantly get my punishment. My head hits the wall as his palm slams full force into my face and throws it to the side with a SMACK! I won't cry out, though. I could never give him that satisfaction. He gets it enough with his fangs... I won't give it to him when he uses his hand. I won't.

"Oh, Zero, if I wanted you to cry out by my hand, you would." He smirks at me again.

I hate that smirk. I hate it. But I remain silent. He's not worth the energy it takes to insult him.

I don't think he liked that comment... My head hits cement again, and the pain increases (as if it wasn't bad enough already) and I bite my lip hard.

"What a wonderful idea, Zero," he says, and kneels down beside me. (Did I mention I'm chained to a wall but unable to stand because my leg is as stable as a rubber band? Oh... Well, then.)

I mentally smack myself for allowing my train of thought to go anywhere near 'bite'. I know what's going to come next, and after the past few nights, I'm not sure I can take it. But—that's enough thinking! He's just going to read it again!

I struggle to get up, but I simply fall back down again. He wraps his arm around my torso, holding my arms down and pulling me closer. My head is jerked to the side, and then I feel pain.

I'm not talking fall off of a bike and cut your arm open and go get stitches. I'm not talking hitting your funny bone really hard on a sharp piece of metal. I'm not talking getting kicked between the legs by someone with steel-toed shoes (if you so happen to be a guy). I am talking 'oh my gosh I have never felt this before in my life somebody please end my misery even if you have to sever my head off slowly to do it or I will rip out my own heart if that's what it takes to make this pain stop.'

It's not only an excruciating bite, but I can feel it all over my body. It's like his black aura seeped into my veins and is running through my being. It burns and throbs, and everything is just pain. It's completely indescribable, but if I had to explain, I suppose I could say it's like being dropped in a huge vat of acid while vultures peck out your innards (which are on fire) with pitchforks that go through things not your innards. Ugh... I'm horrible at analogies.

I writhe in his grip, trying to break free. His lips pull back, and I know he's smiling.

In the past when I've bitten people or been bitten, there's always been a sensual, pleasurable aspect to the action. There is nothing good about this. I don't think I could enjoy it if I tried (which I didn't). The only one getting pleasure is Kaname, and that's the sadistic kind of pleasure one gets when their prisoner starts to scream and cry and vomit from agony. That kind of pleasure isn't usually found in a bite, but with Kaname, he just laps it up like honey.

I feel my stomach churning, and I clench my teeth, trying not to throw up. It's not like I'll have food to fill that empty hole later. I feel myself fading, and my resistance buckles. Despite myself I feel my eyes water, and I hate myself for it.

I feel his soft, silky hands rub against my cheek and wet eyes, and his smile gets wider. I snap.

"Are you finally happy, Kuran?" I snarl.

There's no response, obviously.

"Yuki's devastated, my brother's two rooms down dying, you're beating your most loyal servant to death while his cousin loses his mind, and all it takes is my weakness, and you're a happy camper," I accuse.

He twists his fangs, and I choke on blood, spitting it out as best as I can. The coppery taste is still in my mouth, and I freeze. Blood... the smell, the taste—it's tantalizing. I want it, but I could never let Kaname know that. I can't even begin to think of what would happen if he knew.

He pulls out his fangs and lets me hit the ground hard, even though I was only less than a foot above the floor. He grins at me, his chestnut eyes malicious, but pleased. I glare back, not knowing what else to do. It's not like I can attack him. I can't run. I can't really even speak because of the hunger and pain combined.

"Do you want food, little boy?" Kaname asks sweetly.

I grimace at him. Sure as heck, Kuran. Sure as heck.

Kaname shrugs and walks away, and I know he read my thoughts yet again. I shrug it off and lean back against the wall, holding a hand to my pulsing wound. The pain is mostly gone now. It's just like a scratch. It's so strange, it's like it only hurts when he's in the room with me.

I hate him. I loathe him. I abhor him. I despise him. I detest him. I abominate him. I execrate him. Got any other words I could use? I mean, I used to hate him because he was a pureblood, now I hate him enough as a person. He could be human, and I still wouldn't be able to stand him!

But I sigh and get over it, because there's nothing I can do. Not until I heal, anyways. And who knows how long that will take. He keeps coming down every day, and every day it gets worse. I wonder if it's possible to stay alive long enough to taste freedom again. I wonder if I'm the only one going through this...

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><p><strong>A\N: So… Wow. Like I said, psycho Kaname. You were warned. So from the line in Zero's rant, you can tell it's not just Zero. It's Yuki, Aido, Akatsuki, and Ichiru. I imagine the others are experiencing it as well, but they aren't in… YET. BUAHAHAHAHA! Next up, KANAMES POV.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Kaname's POV**

Pathetic. That's what he is. He's a pathetic little ex-human who never got over a stupid mistake made by his brother. That's why I hate him so much. He could never fathom the things I've been through, yet he whines and complains about his own mediocre problems.

One word.

Pathetic.

I sigh and slam the door to my basement closed, shoving a bloody, wet hand into my pocket and walking to my kitchen. I'm behind closed doors, so there's no need to hide what I really am.

I step into the kitchen, and the air gets tense. Hmm... Aido and Akatsuki are sitting there at the table. No wonder there's a silence. I ignore them, however, and proceed to make myself a cup of coffee. There are no words said between the three of us, but I do listen to their thoughts.

_Kaname-sama... he's done with Zero. I hope he's not in a bad mood tonight. I don't want him to hurt me again... He gets angry when Zero doesn't cooperate... I'm scared... _

Those were Aido's thoughts... also pathetic.

_You're listening. I know you are. Why don't you leave Aido alone? What has he ever done to you? Why hurt him when you could take it out on someone like me or Shiki?_

I choose not to respond to Akatsuki's thought. I know he could never understand why I choose Aido. And since I do not enjoy cleaning up more than one body a day, I think I will let him live with his disrespect and walk away. I grab my coffee and go, feeling the rage sweep over Akatsuki like a tsunami. But Akatsuki won't do anything. He's too smart for that. He's not strong enough and too pathetic.

"Kaname-sama," Ruka said softly as I pass, and I know she knows I heard her.

_Still in love with me, Ruka? You, too, are pathetic. Every single creature in this blasted building is pathetic! And I'm stuck watching over them like a body guard. For the love of Mike, what's the purpose? I just want..._

I stop my train of thought short. Never mind that. I keep walking, and soon I enter my bedroom. I walk over to my bed and fall over onto the sheets with a heavy sigh.

_*I'm so frustrated right now... Maybe I _should _beat Aido for a while...*_

I growl to myself, smelling Yuki's tears. She's crying... about Zero... _again_. I never loved her anyways, but we were betrothed. If it had been my choice, no such relationship would have come about, but things didn't go my way. Hopefully I could get the Senate to change their minds about me and Yuki... then I could find someone I actually cared about who _wasn't _my sister. Ugh.

I listen carefully to the sounds around me, and the thing that catches my attention is desperate gasping coming from Aido's room. Of course. He's spazzing again. What a surprise.

A pull myself out of bed and straighten my clothes. I leave my room and head for Aido's, listening into his moaning and panting as I walk. Another panic attack. They've been becoming more frequent, and part of me wonders if it's because of my abuse. The other part doesn't care.

I enter Aido's room without knocking and find him curled up in a corner, shaking, sobbing, sweating, and clutching his throat like he's afraid he's choking. I lean down and pick him up bridal style, carrying him to my room. Akatsuki glares at me when I pass, but I smile sweetly and continue on my merry way. He can't do anything to me, so he's nothing to worry about.

I get to my bedroom, and then head to the bathroom, setting Aido on the floor. I take Aido by the shoulders and stare into his eyes.

"Calm down, Hanabusa. Calm down."

Aido shivers, but instantly the panic attack is over.

"Take a bath and keep yourself calm." I point to my bathtub and pull some of those scented salts out of my closet. "Don't cause trouble," I say.

He nods obediently and starts to strip off his clothes. I wait until his shirt is gone and then turn him around, examining his lacerated backside. I nod, pleased with myself, and then leave him in the bathroom to relax. Not sure if that'll be possible with me around, but what can I say? I just love to torture people. It's not like _I_ have reasons behind my cruelty, even if they are a tad vengeful and selfish. It's not like _I_ really do think about other people's feeling and just disregard them because they pale in comparison mine. Wow... even when I try to make myself the good guy, I fail. Epicly.

I shrug and fall onto my bed again.

I'm... so... tired...

Blackness closes in, and I lose consciousness.

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><p><strong>A\N: So, obviously Kaname has his own issues going on, but those won't necessarily be disclosed because it doesn't matter what his reasons are, he's lost his mind, and there WILL be butt-kicking. XD Just be patient, my dears… paaaatttiiiieeeennnntttt… *evil laugh*<strong>

**Review if you like! It's a pretty button… I'd really like it if you hit it… so pretty.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Aido's POV**

I sit in the water with my knees drawn up to my chest. Kaname is one room over—one room. I'm scared... I don't want him to hurt me... But I can't betray him. I promised myself a very long time ago that, even if he turned his back on me, I would never do the same to him. I just... never thought it would be so painful. I never thought Kaname would _actually _turn his back on me. But those words weren't empty! I still refuse to abandon him. I know he's wrong... and I know justice will eventually be served, but I suppose I'll just have to be on the losing side of that...

"Aido, you're thinking depressing thoughts. Do shut up."

His voice stops me cold, and I feel my blood freeze in my veins. I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. I mentally slap myself. Speak, idiot, speak! He'll be furious if you don't.

"Y-yes... Kaname-s-sama. I'm sorry."

My head falls onto my knees and I bite my lip so hard blood trickles down my chin. I'm desperate to keep the tears in, but they slip out anyways. My shoulders start to shake as the sobs come harder and... louder... I know he can hear me, but I can't. Stop. I can't make myself do it. I only hope he'll be patient enough to let—

The door flies open with a bang, and I realize I've sobbed two seconds too long. I jump up, falling at first because of my twisted ankle (that happened a few nights ago) and then press myself back against the wall.

"Kaname-sama! I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean to cry so long! I—I'll stop, I promise!"

"Aido, turn around."

Fear clutches my heart, and I do as I'm told, also placing my hand over my heart. In moments like these with Kaname, fear seems like a lovely hand to hold compared to my lord's. Speaking of Kaname's hand, I feel his fingers brush over my shoulder, and then grip me. Fingernails slowly turn into claws, and the next minute my skin is ripped from my shoulder to my waist.

I don't know how, but suddenly I'm falling and my head hits something. Then I'm underwater and groping around to find something to pull me back up. I make contact with a hand, and despite myself I clutch Kaname's fingers, pulling myself out of the water.

He glares at me, and I feel his gaze piercing mine. I look away and release his hand. He leans down so his mouth is right next to my ear.

"You're pathetic, Aido. Just so you know."

"Yes, Kaname-sama."

I look down, knowing he's exactly right. I _am _pathetic. That's all I've ever been, and that's all I'll ever be. I mean, really? I lowly aristocrat thinking he's good enough to be the friend of a pureblood? Promising to always stay by Kaname's side when he doesn't even want me? What kind of weirdo stalker am I?

My cuts burn and my eyes are stinging with tears as Kaname leaves, but I don't even care anymore. I can't go on like this. I have to— I glance at the door, and stop my thought short. He'll know my intentions anyways, but I won't list specifics. He'll be happy about it anyways, so I really don't have anything to worry about. It's not like he'll stop me.

I pull the plug and let the water drain.

This is the last time I let you hurt me, Kaname.

Now, it might be in my head, but I'm so sure I can hear Kaname laughing.

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><p><strong>A\N: Poor, poor Aido! Yes, Zero is not the only one suffering, and Aido just can't take it anymore!<strong>

**Aido: Why do you always try to hurt me in your stories?**

**Kaname: Because you're fun to hurt. I would know. After all, she made me A FUL-IPPING PSYCHODIC, SADISTIC, HEARTLESS, CRUEL, SON OF A LEVEL E!**

**Zero: You already WERE that, Kuran.**

**Kaname: *glares* Hey, Doh? Can I take advantage of you twisting my character and KILL HIM?**

**Me: No, Kaname. You can't. I need him.**

**Zero: *smirks***

**Me: But you can torture him.**

**Kaname: *smirks***

**Me: At least until the chapters move to Aido being awesome.**

**Aido: *smirks***

**Me: *smirks* Review if you likey deh smirks. Heh.**

**HOPE YOU ENJOYED!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ichiru's POV**

Oh... my head... who knew purebloods could hit that hard? Ugh...

I sit back against the wall of my prison, pulling at my chains repetitively. As if I ever stop. I kind of do it to pass the time.

Well, I've decided it's been a bad day for Kaname. He only punishes me when everyone else ticks him off. So my guess is that he beat up Zero, but Zero was frustrating as always, and he took it out on Aido. Aido's a crybaby (and I mean that in the... nope. Can't even try to make that nice) so Kaname just got annoyed, and he decided to lay on the verbal abuse for Akatsuki, and Yuki and Ruka just get ignored because the two of them start bawling. With no other options (Shiki went missing and nobody knows what happened to Ichijo and Rima) he came to me. Loverly.

I hear soft, tip-toeing footsteps and get to my feet, being pulled back down by the chains that keep me on the floor. I try to think of who that would be. Yuki doesn't know the prison exists, Kaname wouldn't be sneaking, Akatsuki might have the guts... but I don't think he would for Aido's sake. Ruka probably doesn't know about the prison, either, but if she did she wouldn't disobey Kaname.

But... that leaves...

"Hey, I'm here to get you out." Aido peeks through the bars, and then I hear the clinking of keys.

What the heck is this kid doing? Kaname will know, and he's going to kill him.

"Aido, get out of here." I lean back against the wall, closing my eyes and trying to get some sleep.

"No."

I'm a little shocked at his determined response. Everybody knows the little whacko is spineless, so what is he doing defying his 'master' whom he'll 'never betray'?

"What are you doing, Aido?" I hear more clanking, and find myself wondering what the heck.

"I'm getting you out of here and we're running away. We're going to find the Hunter's Association and that one-eyed friend of yours, and we're... we're gonna do something about Kaname." Aido stops, and I... feel what? Pity? Is that it?

He opens the door and walks in, fidgeting with the keys again. He takes my wrist and starts to remove the shackle, and I find myself staring at him with a mix of amazement and curiosity.

"Why are you doing this? I thought you were that monster's loyal servant." I roll my eyes.

"Well... Well, this servant can't take any more beatings."

I raise my eyebrows as my shackle snaps off and he moves to the next one. "Are you crying?"  
>"No!" Aido wipes his eyes furiously, and once again I feel pity.<p>

"Okay, don't have a heart attack." Now that my arms are free, I stand up and try and get a feel for having legs again. I walk over to the exit and then back to the wall. It's like walking in a sea of Jell-O (not that I would know how that feels) but I think I can make it. Now for the thousand dollar question...

"How are we getting out of here? And who all is coming?" I will not leave my brother down here, even if it means I have to stay down in this dump.

"Just you and I."

I shake my head, glaring at the stupid blonde aristocrat. "No way. Zero has to come."

"No, that won't work! Kaname will allow you and I to leave because he doesn't believe we can do anything to him. He knows my plan, he just doesn't feel like doing anything about it. If we take Zero with us, he'll have a reason to go after us because Zero is his favorite toy. If we do it this way, we'll save both Zero and ourselves a load of pain." Aido runs out the door, and I follow him, stopping for a moment to look at Zero's cell door. I know Aido's right, and if I want to help Zero, I have to make him wait. I can't imagine Kaname will refrain from telling Zero I've abandoned him, though.

"I'm sorry, Zero. I promise I'll be back for you."

"Come on, let's go."

I turn and dash after Aido, the two of us grab his bags and sprint away from Kaname's glorious mansion as fast as we can.

Irritating. Just plain irritating. Look up Aido Hanabusa in the dictionary and find the synonyms. Irritating, immature, annoying, stupid, makes you want to strangle a puppy. All of those would qualify.

"You know what's really annoying about you hunters? You're all so arrogant and you carry guns everywhere."

Anybody have a puppy? I could really use a puppy. To strangle. Because of Aido. He's a puppy-killer, that's what he is.

"And you have those annoying trench coats that you never button. What's that about? Vampires wear coat, but we actually _use_ them, you guys just wear them like an accessory or something."

Golden retriever? German Sheppard? Lab? Jack Terrier? Any of them would work. As long as it's tiny and cute.

"And then you have swords. What? _So_ medieval, and then vampires started using them and it was like—"

"Do you ever shut up? Or are you truly as annoying as Zero said you were?" I smirk at him and continue down the street, letting my mind wander to my older twin brother. Is Kaname telling him? Right now? Or is he going to torture him first? What will Zero think? What will he do?

"I don't talk that much, geeze." Aido shoves his hands into his pockets and follows me.

In all honesty, he's not half bad, I'm just particularly annoyed right now. We have to somehow get to the Hunter's Association under the watchful eye of Kaname. If we even try to get close he'll send his Level E scum after us. So, we'll have to meet someone from the Association outside of the actual building. Far away from it, actually. The only person I could think of who would be far away from Association is... that one-eyed friend of mine, as Aido put it.

"So, where are we going, Hunter Genius?"

I glance over my shoulder, grinning. "Kushiro."

"What?" Aido's ice blue eyes get wide. "Do you know how far away that is? And we have no mode of transportation!"

I roll my eyes. "Is the pretty little aristocrat scared of a little hard work?"

"Shut up."

I take my voice up a couple decibels and start sobbing. "I'm Hanabusa Aido, and I can't walk to save my life, or anyone else's for that matter!"

Aido glares at me. "I am gonna kill you!"

I start running, laughing at his threats and thinking to myself how much Zero would enjoy this. Well, soon enough we'll do this together, but for now we have to get to Master, and then the Association and... well... after that I'm not too sure. But Kaname will pay for what he's done. I'll see to it.

"Do you hear me? You are going to die!"

Later. I'll see to it later.

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><p><strong>A\N: So, I tried to brighten up this chapter a little bit with some funny Aido and Ichiru cuteness. Yup, they be going to get Yagari, so his perspective approached quickly! YAY! (I'm a Toga fan, can you tell?)<strong>

**Review if you feel like it, if you don't… carreh awn.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Zero's POV**

I wake up and the first thing I think is: Pain. I. Am. In. Pain. Lots.

The second thing I think is: Kaname is a bloody liar.

Seriously? Thinking I would believe him when he told me Ichiru went with Aido and left me here? Does he really think I'm that stupid? Because I happen to be quite a bit smarter.

He must have gone to great lengths to convince me, too, because I actually haven't heard anything from Ichiru's cell in a while. Not that I'm suspicious, just stating facts. Kaname probably moved him to a cell that was further away so I couldn't hear anymore.

Pulling my leg up to my chest and rubbing the torn, shredded, and broken limb, I try to think of what I should do to get out of here. I haven't been outside of this prison in over a year, and I know there are only three people who know I'm alive: Aido, Ichiru, and Kaname. Possibly Ichijo. That might be why he disappeared without a trace... hmm...

I hear a door slam upstairs, and I wince. If I was a praying man, I would be sending up a word to the Lord about whoever is getting it good right now.

Glass shatters, and someone screams.

Real good.

I try to get to my feet, but my leg gives out just like it has every time I try to stand. Moaning, I grab my leg and squeeze it, trying to soothe the pulsing ache.

Okay, so getting up is a bad idea. But I can't just sit down here, either. There has to be _something_ I can do!

I sit back against the wall and let out a heavy sigh.

"I guess... I'll just have to sit and think... like I've been doing for the past year."

I hate this. I really hate just sitting around and not being able to do a dang thing to save myself. I have to somehow keep my leg safe so it can recover. Once it recovers, I'll actually be able to stand up, and start using my surrounding to break my chains, and then I can get out of this hole.

I spy a metal rod lying next to me. Up until now I refrained from using it because it's old and rusty, and my leg had been cut open. Rust would've infected it, and that would've made it worse, but now the majority of the skin is healed. If I can use the remains of my shirt to tie the pole against it, maybe the bone can finally start to heal. Maybe.

I stretch my hand out, pulling against my chains to reach the stick.

Maybe...

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><p><strong>A\N: Zero doesn't believe Kaname, but for once Kaname is telling the truth! Ahhh, the frustration of it all. Nothing much to say on this chapter… yes, our good friend Ichijo went missing without a trace. *cries*<strong>

**Reviews are welcome!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yagari's POV**

The Level E falls to the ground in a dust pile, and I nod. On a normal day, I would have smirked, but stress has been piling on lately, and I'm just not in the mood to smirk in victory.

I sling my gun over my shoulder as the child the Level E attacked runs to his mother and starts telling her this man had sharp teeth and red eyes. The good thing about kids is that parents never believe those little details.

"Thank you for saving my son." The woman says, holding her child close.

I just nod. I have a headache, and I need painkillers. I walk away from the scene, thankful there wasn't a large crowd. A few bystanders and rubberneckers and nothing else.

Thank. Goodness.

I walk into a nearby tavern and sit down at the bar, waving the bartender and old friend of mine over. He brings be a beer, water, and aspirin. He knows me all too well.

"Say, Yagari, two boys came around here earlier lookin' for you."

I down the pills and nod slightly at him. "What of it?"

"The one looked real familiar. Whitish silver hair, lavender eyes, fairly tall. He was with a blonde boy in some sort of white monkey suit." He shrugs, but my interest is grabbed.

"Silver hair and lavender eyes?" I can't help but think of Zero, my pupil. He died a about a year and a half ago. "Are you sure?"

He nods, and I stand up. "Where are they now?"

He shrugs again. "Said something about going to town to look for you."

I grab my beer and say, "I'll take this for later." Aspirin and beer is probably not a good plan, so let's just put this baby in the fridge.

I step out of the bar and started towards the center of town. I go no more than twelve paces when I hear a familiar voice say, "Master!"

I turn around and standing there on the sidewalk is Ichiru! But they were both dead! If this was all a prank, I will seriously kill the both of them. Then it will be legitimate.

"Master, we need your help."

"How are you alive?"

"Zero's been captured by Kaname—"

"And who's this?"

"—and he's a Kuran and a pureblood—"

"I said: Who's the blonde bloodsucker?"

"—and he's going to kill us unless—"

"ENOUGH!" The blonde finally shouted, standing between us. "He's alive because Kaname has evil plans, I'm Hanabusa Aido from the Night Class, I find the term 'blonde bloodsucker' to be very offensive—" At this point he whirled around and face Ichiru. "And you shouldn't be babbling Kaname's plans in the middle of the street! Someone could hear us, so shut up until we can find somewhere to speak about this privately!"

I smirk, my gusto fully returned. "Well, he may be an annoying twit like the Headmaster, but at least he knows how to get people's attention."

"You say that now." Ichiru grins at me, winking. "In a few minutes, you'll want to kill a puppy just to make him shut up."

Steam shoots out of Aido's ears, and we both grin at each other. This would have been the perfect hug moment, but I don't hug so….

"Alright, let's get somewhere to talk. I have a lot of questions."

We start down the street, and the only thing I find myself thinking is, 'What. The. Heck?'

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><p><strong>A\N: I know the chapters are getting shorter! I'm sorry! I have a vague idea of where I want this to go, but I'm open for suggestions. The only other chapter I have written up at the moment is the next one (Kaname's POV) and then I'm stuck! So help if you like! Thanks!<strong>

***squees at Yagariness***


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING: Kaname speaks a little suggestively towards Zero in this chapter. NOT yaoi, but he torments Zero by making him think Yuki and himself are a couple, so he goes down an *ahem* path. Nothing really explicit.**

**Recap from earlier chapter since I don't put this on every single one: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! WHY WOULD I? THIS IS FANFICTION!**

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><p>**Kaname's POV**<p>

I clutch Zero tighter, pulling his weak defenseless body against mine as I tear the flesh away from his neck and lap up the blood like honey. I'm a monster, you know, I have to do this. He screams in agony, no longer able to contain it, and I feel a sadistic… pleasure seep into my veins.

_Does it hurt, Zero?_

_You… You…YOU FILTHY BEAST!_

I chuckled, and I know the vibration in my fangs is just more pain for him.

_Flattery will get you nowhere, my precious little boy. So, so helpless. You can't do a thing to stop me, and you hate it._

_I can stop you whenever I want! _The denial in Zero's voice is priceless, but I continue to torment him and see what else I can get out of this.

_And now your little brother left you here all alone._

_Ichiru wouldn't leave me here! You liar!_

_And tonight, I'll take these very lips, and I'll gently kiss Yuki's neck… _Here we go. Let's bring up his dearest Yuki. His beloved. See what he says.

_Shut up!_

_And slowly move up until I reach her lips, and then our lips will part and I'll push my tongue inside her mouth…_

_Just shut up! I don't want to hear your voice, just shut up!_

_And then we'll start taking off each other's clothes, and then do you know what?_

_STOP IT! STOP IT! _His screams are desperate now—beyond desperate if that's even possible.

_Do you know what we'll do then, Kiryuu?_

_PLEASE!_

Ah, there it is. That simple word I find so much satisfaction is. I twist my fangs, and it comes again.

"Please! Please… stop… I can't t-take it anymore… I can't… I just can't…."

I relish in the fact that he's begging—finally, finally begging! Zero's spirit was always so strong, so stubborn. But now he's finally begging for mercy. I feel a twinge in my chest as whatever human side I have starts telling me he's a poor, broken down child, and I need to leave him alone, but that's easily suppressed, and soon I've pulled my fangs out of his throat so the real fun can begin.

"Do you know how long I've waited to hear you say those words, Kiryuu?"

"I…I…."

I smirk, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at me. Oh, the hatred in those eyes is simply amazing! You don't find hate like this in just any normal person. "Since the day you stabbed me with a butter knife, I have been waiting and waiting and hoping to one day hear you say that." I release his face and slowly get closer, taking my voice a couple of notches lower. "Say it again, won't you, Zero?"

"N-no." He gasps, blood dripping off of his lips—and everywhere else for that matter.

"Just for me?" I straddle his hips, grabbing him by his broken arm and dislocated shoulder. He starts to squirm, and I laugh at the feeling of him resisting when it's obvious I'm dominant in this situation.

"You never give up, do you?"

"You're darn right I don't."

His voice may sound extremely determined, but I can see and feel his body shaking. He's both stubborn and terrified. Huh. Interesting combination.

Inhaling deeply, I realize he's lost a large amount of blood, and if I keep doing what I've been doing, he'll be dead within the hour. After all, I've broken his leg (again), dislocated his shoulder, broken his arm, twisted his ankle, broken his nose, gashed open his forehead and neck, stabbed his abdomen I don't know how many times, along with some other stuff.

Taking the rusty pole I tied to his leg and giving him a final whack, though it was more like a spanking than a blow, I start to tie it against his leg. What's the point of a broken toy, anyways? I have to let him heal if I want to keep playing.

After I'm finished with his leg, I lay down next to him and pull him on top of me, letting his head rest against my chest, letting some of my healing abilities seep into him.

"Don t-touch m-me!"

"I will touch you as much as I like, Kiryuu, so shut up and deal with it."

I put my hand over his head to keep him lying down—as if he could get up. Even if I hadn't restrained him, he still wouldn't have been able to lift his head.

"What…" he pants, gripping my shirt. "What d-did you d-do to Ichir-ru?"

"I didn't do anything. He left."

"He. Didn't. LEAVE!" Zero clenches his teeth, forcing himself to be angry, but the tears start forming at the edges of his eyes, and this is where I do my specialty and build on what I've started.

I gently stroke his hair, shushing him like a mother does a screaming child. "You know what, you're right, Kiryuu. He didn't leave. I mean, he wouldn't leave you. I should have known better than to trick you. You two are inseparable, and you have no dirt between you. It's incredible, and I shouldn't have even attempted to mess with your head."

Zero stiffens, but I don't stop comforting him. He slowly lifts his head, making eye contact.

"We… don't have… dirt?"

I nod. "Yeah, you know. You've never done something to upset him too badly, and he's never done anything to upset you too badly."

He stops, and I know what he's thinking. He's thinking of when Ichiru said he was on Zero's side—when they were children and their love filled the Kiryuu house nearly making it overflow. But it was all an act, and now, Zero wonders, is the current expression of love from Ichiru also fake?

Then he snaps. He. Just. Snaps. He slams his face into my chest and starts sobbing into my shirt. The sobbing slowly turns to violent coughing, and coughing, retching. Wow! This is a show, for sure!

"No, no, don't cry," I say softly, wiping his eyes. "Calm down now. I'm sure it will all be better soon, alright? Maybe… Maybe he'll come back."

Zero looks at me again, furiously wiping his eyes and hating himself for his weakness. "Wh…why do you care?"

I smile at him fondly, caressing his cheek and kissing his forehead like my parents used to before they would put me to bed. "I'm not as bad as you think, Kiryuu."

And then he starts sobbing all over again.

I love my life!

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><p><strong>A\N: Like I said, NOT YAOI, but I suppose if you want to see it… you can. You can see what you want wherever you want, I guess. I'm going to note again (not that I didn't say it, like, seven times in the chapter) the kisses and shushing and holding were PARENTAL. A FAKE parental by Kaname to make Zero feel secure just long enough to shatter his hopes yet again in a wave of cruelty and malice.<strong>

**Kaname: WHY DO YOU HATE ME?**

**Zero: ME TOO?**

**Aido: Heh heh heh… She's not shattering my hopes.**

**Kaname&Zero: *death glared***

**Aido: *runs and hides***

**Kaname: Seriously?**

**Me: Because, I like to please a large range of readers, and there are many fangs of many types and many styles, so I try to be versatile.**

**Zero: I hate versatility.**

**Kaname: Me too.**

**Me: I DON'T! The next chapter is at a standstill temporarily, and I can still use help with that. It's in Aido's POV… The only things I won't do is add yaoi\juri\slash or make Kaname suddenly go nice. That's about it… I'm open to most anything. Review if you like, ideas welcome, I hope you enjoyed!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A\N: Alright, so apparently some people (those people\that person who left solid negative, rude comments) didn't read the warning at the beginning of this story. SO. I will say this RIGHT NOW. THIS STORY WILL BE:**

**LOOSE**

**UN-DETAILED**

**OOC (EXTREMELY)**

**And you know what? I. DON'T. CARE. I'm sorry people, but I'm writing a novel, I've got a job, I'm starting school, I've got voice and piano and possible theatre. I can't waste my time perfecting my fanfictions. My writing gusto goes into my books, this is just a little place to experiment. YES. I KNOW THIS IS TERRIBLE. THAT'S THE POINT. Sometimes I need to write just to vent, and that writing is very mindless and not well thought out. I struggled with SAD a form of depression (ironic isn't it?) so if you don't like this, MOVE ON. And don't say I wasted your time. That's what the warnings are for.**

**I don't want to be a jerk, I really don't, but it frustrates me when people leave negative comments without reading the Author's Notes. If you want to read the story without reading the AN, that's on you. If you post a negative comment, get your facts and info straight first. And that's all I have to say.**

**THAT ASIDE, I still don't own Vampire Knight, and I hope you all enjoy!**

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><p>**Aido's POV**<p>

I don't even believe this. Do these hunters really do things this way? They don't even plan! They just say, "Let's go get'im" and fly in, guns blazing? Augh. I can't do this. I have to say something.

"Alright, I don't know how you hunters normally run things, but this isn't our usual case, here. This is Kaname Kuran, Vampire Lord, Pureblood Master, Leader of the Vampire Race, and a bunch of other stuff. You can't just go in there shooting things and expect to win. It's not that simple."

Ichiru turns to me. "Well, then what do then? There's only three of us going up against him. It's not like we have a lot to work with."

Yagari nods, and I look down at my feet, scratching my chin. "There has to be something that's his weakness. Something we can use against him."

"Yuki?" Ichiru suggests, shrugging his shoulders.

"That was all a façade. He doesn't care about her, and half the nights he goes and makes her cry, too." I shudder, remembering the desperate screams coming from her room while I was confined to my bed because my entire ribcage was crush, or perhaps my legs had first-degree burns all over them. "Anyways… He has no one he cares about—except himself—so we have to find another way. There has to be a physical weakness we can exploit."

"Like what?"

I frown, and then bite my lip. I try to remember things that honestly upset Kaname when he was still sane. Ichio seemed to bother him, but I wouldn't call the aristocrat a weakness. Besides, since his grandson disappeared, he's probably lost all connections with Kaname and has no idea what…

"That's it!" I look up suddenly, pounding my fist into my open palm.

"What's it?" Yagari asks, flicking his cigarette.

"Ichijo! He disappeared right after Kaname lost it on Yuki and Ruka! He freaked out on them, and Ichijo tried to stop him. Kaname told him to go to the office, and they were in there for hours. Ichijo left the office and went to bed, but he was really uneasy. The next morning he was gone. He must have known what it was that could bring Kaname down!"

Yagari nods. "That makes sense."

"So, we just need to find Ichijo and we'll know what to do," Ichiru says.

"Trouble is…" I look down at my feet, glaring into the grass as though it can magically tell me where Takuma is. "We don't actually know if he's alive. Kaname might have just killed him."

Ichiru shrugs. "Do we have any other options at this point?"

I shake my head.

"Then let's go for it! Where would he keep Ichijo?"

I struggle with that for a moment, unsure of the answer myself. Finally, I decide there's only one place it _could _be.

"The Kuran Mansion."

Ichiru nods. "Let's do this."


	10. Chapter 10

**Zero's POV**

I hate him. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him. How dare he? Make me collapse like that! Like a weakling like—like a child! He has done unbelievable things to me in the past, but never this far. Never. And for a good reason, too. No one, and I mean no one, makes Zero Kiryuu bawl his eyes out and lives to tell about it.

No one.

I refuse to let my guard down. I can't stay here anymore. It's time to create weapons from scratch, barricade the door, force myself to heal faster than I thought possible, and get out of this pit before it's too late.

But in order to do that, I'd need some help from the inside… or, I suppose, outside. I wonder… since I've tasted Yuki's blood, and she's tasted mine…

_Yuki? Yuki, can you hear me?_

_Trying to contact my lover, Kiryuu?_

I jerk, hearing Kuran's voice reverberate through my head. _No. Talking to Santa Claus. _I shut down that train of thought, refusing to let him into my mind.

Come on, Kiryuu… think… THINK. There has to be something he needs to go to, just one thing! Something that would keep him out of the house for an hour or so… just long enough to talk to her and learn some secrets… something to bring him down.

I shake my head and sigh, nothing coming into focus. I sit down and lean back against the wall. Who am I kidding? There's no way out of here… I'm a toy for eternity as far as he's concerned…

I slap myself. Hard. And I stand up, giving the chain binding my wrist one hard jerk in an attempt to snap it.

I am NOT going to go through that again. I won't let my guard down. I won't give up. I won't let depression, or Kuran, or Shizuka, or purebloods, or anything win! I am getting out of here, and even if I die on the front porch, I will die a free man!

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><p><strong>A\N: Not much to say on this. This toughie chapter was done for Art-sinisterika! She\He didn't actually ask for it but was the only one to point out Zero needed his toughness back! I was already planning on doing this chapter, but since it was mentioned by him\her I thought why not dedicate? It's fun!<strong>

**So, hope you liked his toughness returning!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A\N: Gahh! It's been so long since I've posted on this... curses... Again this is still my goof-off fic so it's not very good, I have much better stuff on my page. seriously, though, people. This is just a total crackfic. XD**

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><p>**Takuma's POV**<p>

I moan and rub my eyes, wiping the sleep away as I sit up in bed. Er… slab of stone with blankets and pillows tossed over it… Hey, when you've got a furious pureblood after you, you don't get to pick your pleasures. You take what you can get and go with it.

Yawning, I stand up and walk into the 'kitchen' to make myself a cup of coffee. Sure, I've managed to gather some luxury items from here and there as I travel. I was raised in a rich family, I'm not all that good with the bare minimum. But I can still make it.

I wonder, sometimes, if he thinks I'm dead. Or if he's going to come after me. Or if he's going to let me go. Or maybe he was just freaking out on me and used my accusations as an excuse. I still remember the look in his eyes when he told me to go back to my room. I knew I was going to die that night… I had no choice but to run. Honestly, I can't think of a single person who would blame me.

I sigh, sipping the coffee and looking out the entrance to the cave, my eyes scanning the bright blue expanse outside.

It really made me sad to see Kaname fall apart the way he did. I can make a guess at what started it, but I don't think the majority of it was really caused by situation. I think Kaname has just been made cold and cruel by a long life filled with pain, and he finally couldn't take it anymore, and snapped on those who honestly trusted him.

What I don't understand is why they all put up with it. And Kiryuu. Poor, Kiryuu… I bet Yuki misses him. I mean, I suppose he was going to die eventually anyways, but…

I get up and head outside the cave, determined to enjoy this beautiful day, regardless of the circumstances back home. I can't go very far—I have hunters in one direction, Kaname in another, and the Senate in the other—but I can still head down around my mountain and enjoy the weather. Pick some flowers, watch some wildlife… the norm for me here.

"You have NO IDEA where we're going, do you?"

"OF COURSE I DO!"

"Yeah, you have no idea."

"Can it, Kiryuu!"

I jump at the voices, and my heart pounds when I hear the name 'Kiryuu'. It couldn't be… could it?

I take off running, using my vampire speed to get to the source of noise as fast as I can. I skid to a stop when I see Aido, the one-eyed hunter, and Zero's twin standing in a clearing and pointing in different directions.

"Aido?" I gasp.

Aido whirls to face me, turquoise eyes both shocked and relieved. "Ichijo? We all thought you were dead!"

I frown. I should have known he would make it seem that way. No wonder they never came to find me… "Well, I'm obviously alive. What are you doing here?"

Aido throws his hands up, shouting frustratedly. "Kuran snapped!"

I cock my head to the side, pursing my lips. "Since when do you call him Kuran?"

Aido jerks his head towards the hunters, and I smile. "They rubbed off on me," he snaps, crossing his arms.

I shake my head, laughing. "What are you looking for all the way out here?"

Ichiru, I believe that's his name, spoke up at that point. "We're trying to find the Kuran mansion, but this dunderhead has no idea where he's going!"

"I do SO know where I'm going!" Aido screamed, but Ichiru ignored him.

"Can you help?"

I smile, turning towards my mountain. "Certainly. Let me grab some stuff from my home, and we'll head out right away."

I run up the slopes with ease, both agility and strength coming from my vampire side as I traverse the jagged hill. I rush into my cave and start throwing anything I think we'll need into a knapsack.

_This will either end with us dying or reigning victorious. It's worth it, I suppose, but still… I have to wonder how this is all going to work._


	12. Chapter 12

**A\N: I love writing crack-centered stuff... It's light, easy, I don't have to think, and the chapters can be short. XD So much fun... Enjoy! I still own nothing!**

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><p>**Zero's POV**<p>

I hear the door slam upstairs, and my mind instantly grabs onto one single idea: Escape. If Kuran is out of the house than maybe, just maybe, I can talk to Yuki and we can get out of here. But I need to wait… he could be right outside. And if he's right outside… he'll still be able to hear.

But it has to be him. No one is allowed to leave this place except for him. No one is allowed to learn of the outside world except for him. It has to be him.

Funny how these saps who used to follow him around like a little band of worshippers now wishes they were anywhere but here. At least once a day Ruka and Yuki cry together—I can smell their tears all the way down here. Akatsuki doesn't speak. Even my honed vampire ears can't pick him up. It must have hit Aido, too, because the idiot who never shuts up hasn't spoken in days, either. I'm surrounded by weak idiots…

No offense, Ichiru.  
>I glance towards the ceiling, hearing absolutely nothing, and I begin to try and contact Yuki. Even if I'm not a pureblood, she is, and she should be able to hear me…<p>

_*Yuki, are you up there? Are you alone?*_

_*…Z-Zero?*_

_*Yes, it's me! Can you hear me?* _Well that was stupid. Of course she can hear me, or she wouldn't have replied. *_Where are you?*_

_*My room…*_

_*Can you get down here?*_

_*Down where?* _The more she talks, the more I realize her voice is very congested, and I feel bad for her. She's been crying more than I thought…

_*I'm in the basement! Ichiru's down here, too…*_

_*Ichiru left with Aido, though…* _

I'm shocked she would say that. I mean, I knew Kuran was trying to get in my head, but she was my best friend. She should know my brother wouldn't leave me. _*Yuki, you can't believe Kaname's lies, he—*_

_*Zero, I saw them leave together.* _Her footsteps echo through the mental conversation, and I know she's coming to get me. I am so close, but now I'm frozen. He left me? How left me?!

_*Yuki… th-that's impossible! He couldn't have—*_

_*I swear I saw him go, Zero. I'm… I'm sorry! I know you didn't want to hear that, and I didn't tell Akatsuki because if he knows that he'll go after him and Kaname will kill him and—I have to go.*_

_*Wait!* _I jump up, jerking back to the ground as the chains snap taught. I want to call out to her again, but if she left so suddenly… Kaname must have come back. And if he knows we made contact… Oh… Oh gosh… No.

I sigh and lean back against the wall. I guess I'll have to wait a while longer… but that doesn't mean I'm giving up! In fact… I'm more determined than ever. Kaname has hurt too many people, and they're all helpless because they're vampires—bound to him by their blood and their family ties. But me… I'm a renegade, Level D hunter. I will do whatever I want to that monster, and it won't be pretty.

I just… need some patience.


	13. Chapter 13

**A\N: Yay! Got up two chapters in one night! I am happy about this, not that it's much of an accomplishment because they're so short... but it still feels better to know that I at least updated it. :) **

**So, don't know if y'all know this, but I have a facebook fanpage where you can follow my and my other writings, view fanart, and get day to day updates on the progress of stories. Check it out here: www . facebook increak96  
><strong>

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><p>**Kaname's POV**<p>

I sigh in utter patronization as I step back into the house, shaking my head at my younger sister.

"Oh, Yuki… I knew if I gave you ten minutes alone with him, you two would try to hatch something."

She backs up, fear written on her features, and I have to smirk. She has every right to be afraid of me. I can do whatever I want with her, and no one here will save her. The people who would dare to try are not capable of doing so. She is mine. All mine.

"Onii-sama… P-please…"

It's so cute how she tries to use that name to get on my good side. It's also ironic, because it only serves to irritate me further.

"You know the rules, Yuki… no contact with outsiders."

"But… It's Zero!" She begins to cry, crocodile tears streaming down her face. "You said he was dead, you said… you lied!"

"Yes, Yuki. And do you know why?" I talk to her like I would talk to a five-year-old, because obviously she is as simple-minded as one. "Because I'm a liar. And liars lie. That's why they're called liars."

She just sobs into her hands, backed up against the wall in fear and despair. "Why… why… why…"

She keeps mumbling that word over and over, and every single murmur decreased my tolerance meter. "Shut up, Yuki." She jumps at the harshness in my voice, and I like it. "Yuki, you have been very naughty, and do you know what happens to naughty girls?"

She shakes her head, whimpering as her knees betray her and let her fall to the floor.

"They get punished," I growl, fangs slipping between my lips.

My fingers coil through her hair and I rip her from the ground, her scream of pain echoing through the foyer. A door slams down the hall as Ruka runs to Akatsuki to protection like she always does. With a quick jerk Yuki is on the ground, blood dripping down her face as clumps of hair come out in my hand.

"Your hair is cute, but you're far too attached to it."

I see the panic in her eyes as I pull a razor from my jacket, grinning as I think of how distraught she'll be when I'm done with her.

"Onii-sama… K-Kaname… please… no…"

I merely smile and kneel down beside her, grabbing a fistful of hair and chopping it clean off. It's the first of many, and she can do nothing, because my powers far surpass hers.

"I can't wait to see how anxious you are to speak with him when you're as hideous as I'm about to make you."

Yuki's cries get louder, and another one bites the dust.

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><p><strong>A\N: Yeah, I know that's super mean... but I didn't want him to physically beat her. That seemed worse... and he IS evil in this story, so... it fit. *shudders and clings to precious hair* <strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Not sure how this got deleted... it was supposed to be chapter 14, but somehow it got removed, and everything was messed up... Here's chapter 14!  
><strong>

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><p><strong>**Yuki's POV** <strong>

I lay on the floor for some time after Kaname left. I cried for a while, but that came to an end in time. And then I stewed. I fumed and raged in my own head, thinking of all the things I would do to him if I got the chance. And then I cried some more because I knew I would never get that chance.

My brother—no, gosh. Not even my brother. Some freak from another life who is wrecking my world.

Said freak is a powerful man, and when it all comes down to it… there's nothing I can do. Not a dang thing, and I hate it.

I slowly sit up after a while, running my fingers through what few stands remain of my hair. I'm not bald, thank goodness, but it's some sort of crudely cut pixie style. I hate it. It looks like my head got run over with a lawn mower, and my forehead and ears and littered with cuts because he was careless with the knife.

I sit for a while, and then I pull myself to my feet, looking at the clock on the wall. It's been twenty minutes since Kaname left. Twenty minutes…

I turn on my heel and run up the stairs and down the hall, looking for the bedroom of a certain blonde aristocrat. It doesn't take me long to find it, and I enter the small, rather shawdy abode, wondering how Aido had lived like this.

Books and furniture were littered everywhere, and blood stained the walls and carpets. It smelled horrible—certainly not like lavender—and I couldn't find any sign of hygiene or personal care. I glanced in the grimy bathroom. No soap or toothpaste… no towels or hairbrushes… nothing.

Sighing, I turn around and leave the room, dashing down the hall towards Akatsuki's room. I throw the door open, grabbing it as I burst in so it doesn't slam.

"Akatsuki, I—" I stop, a heavy sadness overtaking me as I stare at the boy on the floor. "Akatsuki…" I whisper softly, moving towards him with hesitant steps. "It's me, Yuki… wake up. Please, wake up…"

"Help him, please…"

I jump at the new voice, and I see Ruka sitting on the bed, holding a crumpled up piece of paper in her hand.

"He… he didn't want to die… I know he didn't. He just wanted… just wanted everything to be right…"

I panic as soon as I understand what she's saying, and I drop to my knees, taking Akatsuki by the shoulders and shaking him hard. "Akatsuki! Akatsuki! Kain!" I shout at him, slapping his face a few times for good measure, but he's lukewarm and unresponsive.

"I tried CPR, I tried using my vampire powers, I tried blood, I tried… I tried…" Ruka dropped her head, fangs piercing her lips as she bit them. "I don't know what to do!"

I bite my lip, shaking my head as I try to think of something I can do. I suddenly stand up, taking Akatsuki with me. I pull one of his arms around my neck and start to drag him out. "Ruka, help me," I grunt, trying to get him through the door.

She jumps up and runs over, taking his other arm, and together we work to drag him down the hall and over to a set of stairs.

"Where are we going?" she whispers, tears still brimming her eyes.

"Zero's a vampire hunter. I assume because he knows how to kill them… he would know how _not _to kill them, right? Maybe… he can do something."

I speak with a smile on my face, but I'm not very confidant. It's a last resort, and it just might work, but if it doesn't… and if Kaname finds out… and it's all in vain…

No. I can't even think about that now. We need to help him.

Period.

And so we continued to pull his limp body down the halls, all the while knowing Kaname could be watching our every move.


	15. Chapter 15

**A\N: Yay! Another chapter! Finally getting somewhere with this story... Nothing much to say on this chapter, other than the fact that listening to 'Tears of Hercules' by Keith Harkin while writing ensures there will be a Zeki moment. ^_^ Also, I had to shut of my PM, so I can no longer reply to reviews, but I will continue to do mentions, and you can get in touch with me through most of the links on my profile. Namely, this one:**

**www . facebook increak96**

**_Mentions:_Demonic Angel 7, Kuraihonoo, and XxWhiteKingxX! Thank you guys SO MUCH for the reviews! Please keep it up!  
><strong>

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><p>**Zero's POV**<p>

The smell of tears enters my nose, and my head jerks up when I realize they aren't Yuki's. Who would be down here? And why would they be crying? Rima…? No, she disappeared. Um… what was the other one's name.

"Ruka, open the door! I'll hold onto him for now."

I stood up at the sound of Yuki's voice, gritting my teeth through the pain and walking over to the door, assisting the vampire on the other side.

"You push, I'll pull," I say, and I can't believe how hoarse I sound.

"Zero, hurry!" It's Yuki speaking, as Ruka is still having trouble controlling her voice. "Akatsuki… he's… just open the door!"

I brace myself, gripping the door handle and pulling hard as Ruka pushes from the other side. I hear her grunting and know she's giving it her all, but even between the two of us, it's not enough.

"Stop." I double over, panting as my vision blurs. "Can't you find a key? Or get something from upstairs to help? It's just wood, after all."

Yuki is panting now, probably having a hard time keeping the weight of an unconscious grown vampire up. "The door might be wood, Zero, but the locks are not."

"Then get an ax!"

Ruka gasps at that. "The shed! There's axes and saws in the shed!"

I bang my fist against the door, excitement and fear overtaking me at the same time. "Get a chainsaw! And hurry before Kuran comes back."

I hear footsteps, but I don't know who they belong to, and then I hear a soft whisper coming through the cracks around the door.

"Zero… are you alright in there?" It's Yuki speaking, and my heart begins to beat just a little softer. "I mean, wait, that's a stupid question. Uh… I mean, are you… alive? Well, obviously…"

I chuckle softly as she scrambles for the right words to say, and I run my fingers over the bloodstained, splintery wood. "I'm alright, Yuki. Are you?"

"Mm-hmm!" Her voice is cheerful, but there is something hidden in that cheer. Something I don't like.

"Yuki… did Kuran do something to you?"

Silence.

My voice takes on a warning tone. "Yuki, I'm not playing games here. Tell me if he did something to you."

"No." I can see her shaking her head in my mind's eye, and it's unbelievably cute. "No, it's not important right now. It's a conversation for later."

I grin, knowing this is my Yuki. Not the pureblood Yuki. Maybe not even the little girl Yuki. This is the Yuki I've been waiting for. This is _my _Yuki.

"You're right. Escape now, talk later." I pause. "What's wrong with Kain?"

"He tried to commit suicide… Ruka and I both tried to revive him… and he's not cold yet. It must be some sort of poison."

I think for a few moments, rubbing my chin and gazing at the floor intently. "Get… Get some vinegar from the kitchen."

"Vinegar?"

"Just trust me! I know it sounds weird, but he needs to drink some."

There's a bit of a stunned silence, and then she stutters. "O-okay, I'll just leave him at the door, then. I'll be right back!"

And her footsteps bounce down the hall, my mind racing.

_Suicide or murder? That's what I want to know… hopefully, if he drinks the vinegar soon enough, we can get to the Hunter's Association and get a cure for him. _

I sigh heavily, leaning against the wall as the blood loss forces black spots onto my vision.

_We're so close to victory… so close to freedom. And that's what scares me. He's such a twisted man… he's probably lying in wait… teasing us, taunting us… holding escape just inches from our grasp._

I'm grateful to Yuki for what she's doing, and I couldn't be more proud of the way she's standing up to Kaname. Ruka, too.

But I can't help feeling it's all a fruitless effort. A game without end—or at least not one that goes in our favor. The only way we can escape is through help from the outside, of this I'm sure.

Which begs the question…

Ichiru… where are you?


	16. Chapter 16

**A\N: Yeah, another update... a bit of a filler... trying to get things moving. Not sure how much is left to this story... probably five to ten chapters-ish. Specific, right?  
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**Anyways, thanks again to my reviewers! Please keep reviewing! ^^  
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><p><strong>**Ichiru's POV**<strong>

I yawn for what has to be the thirtieth time, covering my mouth as a shudder runs through my body.

"How long have we been walking?" Aido asked the question buzzing at the front of my mind, but he does it in a more whiny tone of voice than I would have.

Yagari glanced at his watch. "I'd say about… two days."

Aido groans, and for once, I find it reasonable. I'm completely exhausted and my legs feel like jelly beneath me.

"When do we get there?" I ask, glancing at our group leader for an answer.

Ichijo scratches the back of his neck. "To be honest… I don't know. It's been so long since I've had any contact with the outside world… and the only method I ever used to get there was in a car, which would be on a road. We're in the middle of a forest, so…"

Aido paled. "Wait. So we're following you, and you don't even know where you're going?"

Ichijo stomped his feet. "I have a basic idea!"  
>"Basic isn't good enough!"<p>

"Then I suppose you want to lead?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Then accept my limited knowledge!"

"Never!"

I sigh, blocking their conversation from my mind. Under normal circumstances, I would have found their exchange unbelievably hysterical, but I'm exhausted, hungry, lost, and I'm not any closer to helping my brother than I was the moment I left my cell.

"Sensei, do you have any idea where we're going?"

Yagari's lips twisted into a scowl, his gaze set dead ahead. "I think so… a better one than the sunshine over here, anyways."

I nod slowly, waiting for more.

"We should only be about three miles off. And once we're there, Ichijo should be able to give us the answer we need."

I give him another sharp nod and trudge ahead, still thinking about Zero.

_Did he let you recover at all? Are you still hurt? Are you hungry? For blood, I mean. Does anyone else know about you? Is Kaname getting worse or better?_

So many questions and uncertainties… I've been trying to keep them at bay, but they're realities. I have to think about them at some point.

I feel so helpless… not knowing anything about the Kuran family, not knowing how to stop Kaname, being too weak to do anything even if I did know… I wonder if maybe I should have just stayed in the basement and let Aido go alone.

"Hey."

I jumped, turning slightly to see Aido walking right behind me, a sort of… determined and slightly angry look on his face.

"Yes?"

Master and Ichijo are up ahead quite a ways, but he lowers his voice to speak.

"Don't get discouraged. I couldn't have made it this far without you." Aido glanced away, his pride bleeding on the ground. "That's… that's all I wanted to say."

With that, he ran out ahead, and I watched him go. If nothing else, his words at least made me feel a little better. Whether or not they were true… that had yet to be determined.

But he had made a very good point. Now was not the time to get discouraged. I had to keep my chin up and keep walking. We made it this far… no turning back now.

_Just a day or two more, Zero. Do you think you can hang on that long?_


	17. Chapter 17

**A\N: This one is SUPER short (sorry!) but the next one should be longer and a lil' bit angsty. It's gonna be Aido POV and then we get back to Yuki, Zero, Akatsuki, and Ruka and what's going on with them! Or maybe... maybe a Kaname POV. It's been awhile since we've been in the crazy guys head...  
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**Mentions will be in the next chapter! Thank you for all of your kind reviews!  
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><p><strong>**Ichijo's POV**<strong>

The mansion hasn't changed much since the last time I was here. The only thing that's different is… it's empty. Juri and Haruka are dead, and Yuki and Kaname don't live here anymore.

"Wow. Talk about prime real estate."

I nod to Ichiru, walking towards the mansion with something like weights tied to my ankles. "Yeah. It was a very expensive project." I smile lightly, walking up to the door and swinging it open. "It's filled with lots of secret passages and tunnels. They were made to make escape from the Senate easy, but Yuki, Kaname, Aido, Akatsuki, Ruka, and I used to play in them."

Aido laughs, moving past me and into the house. "I remember that…"

Yagari and Ichiru both step in, looking around at the grand entrance, a thick layer of dust obstructing its former glory. Aido makes a beeline for the wall to the left, pulling on the head of a statue to make a secret tunnel open up. Kneeling down, he sticks his head into the hole and starts coughing. "I want to look for something," he says, crawling inside.

Time seems to freeze for a moment, and I can see the little genius in shorts and knee socks, scuffing up his suit until his teacher came and dragged him away to spank him, all the while lecturing him on proper etiquette in the house of a pureblood. Kaname would bite his lip, worried he had gotten the boy in too much trouble, but Aido would keep coming back, eventually dragging his cousins with him. No matter how many punishments were dealt, if playing in the tunnels made Kaname happy, Aido would do it. Aid would do… anything for him. At any cost.

_Oh, Aido… _ I think to myself, shaking my head as I step inside and close the door behind me. _I forgot how hard this has to be on you._

"While he's exploring, let's head up into Haruka's den. I'm sure there are a lot of papers on Kaname there…"

Yagari and Ichiru both nod, and I lead the way down the hall to the office.

"Are you sure this is the right place to look?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Who knows? This was just a hunch."

Ichiru slaps his forehead, and I flash my long-dormant million dollar smile. Yagari rolls his eyes and walks over to a nearby bookshelf, scanning the titles.

"If there is some way to defeat Kuran, it'll be here."

I smile at the raven-haired hunter, nodding. "That's what I thought!"

Ichiru sighs, rubbing his face and examining the papers on the desk. "Alright, fine. Let's see what we can dig up."

I grab some files of my own while Yagari grabs the books and starts to flip through them.

_It's going to be a long day…_

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><p><strong>A\N: Ugh, so short. I can't believe I'm actually trying to call this a chapter...<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**A\N: Not much to say on this... a flashback, some angst, some tears... the usual. XP**

**_Mentions:_DemonicAngel7, Kuraihonoo, and XxWhitexKingxX! Thank you very much for the reviews! ^^  
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**Enjoy!  
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><p><strong>**Aido's POV**<strong>

I run my hands over the floors of the tunnel, closing my eyes as I start to remember the good times. I can feel the scuff marks and nicks in the wood beneath my fingertips. The marks were made by our shoes and our toys when we would run and play in here.

_Where is it…?_

A sad smile tugs at the edges of my lips as my hands wander across the ceiling, freezing as my fingers dip into the large dent in the wood.

I remember this dent… I remember making it.

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><p>"<em>You can't catch me!" I sang, running down the hall with my teacher at my heels, waving her arms madly and screaming. Laughing, I disappeared around the corner, ducking into one of the tunnels and shutting the door behind me so she couldn't follow.<em>

"_Kaname-sama!" I hurried down the corridor, calling out our leader's name. "Kaname-sama!"_

"_Over here!" _

_It wasn't Kaname's voice, but it was Ruka and she was almost always around him, so there was a really good chance he was there. I ran towards the sound of her voice, looking over my shoulder every once and a while just to make sure I wasn't being followed._

"_Kaname-sama! Are you with Ruka-chan?"_

"_Yes," was the quiet response._

_I rounded the corner, grinning when I spy Kaname standing in the distance, his little sister clinging to his knees and begging for his attention. I felt a small pang of jealousy and sped up, determined to get to Kaname as soon as possible._

_Stars flashed across my vision, and my back hit the floor, pain tingling up and down my spine._

"_Aido!" _

_I moaned, grabbing my head and trying to sit, blackness pulsing at the edges of my vision. "Ah… ow… it h-hurts…"_

_Kaname knelt down, grabbing my hands and pulling them away from the injury. "Don't touch it."_

"_Y-yes, K-Kaname-sama…" I tried hard not to cry, wiping my eyes before any tears could escape._

"_Here, I'll fix it. Just… just don't cry, okay?"_

_I nodded, still sniffing, and allowed him to pull my head towards his chest. Kaname's fingers curled around my upper arms, and a few seconds later, I felt a pair of lips on the top of my head._

"_Kaname-sama?" I stuttered._

"_This should make you feel better."_

_I sat very still and let him continue, sighing at the cooling relief that spread through my head, and I grinned a little when I saw Ruka's cheeks burning with envy. I would always be Kaname's favorite—she should have known that!_

"_Aido," Kaname whispered, "Don't think such arrogant thoughts; it's not nice."_

_I flushed in embarrassment, hanging my head._

_He lowered his voice further and continued in a playful voice. "Even if it is true."_

_The smile returned to my face, but I tried to keep myself humble, staring at my feet as he continued to heal the gaping wound on my head._

"_All done!" He stood up, dusting his hands off, and I did the same, running my hands through my hair and feeling nothing but a faint scar and some bruising._

"_Thank you, Kaname-sama!"_

_The pureblood prince shook his head. "I didn't mind. But you must be careful or you could get hurt."_

_I leaned forward in a brief bow, nodding my head. "Yes, Kaname-sama! I'll be much more careful!"_

_He smiled lightly, tousling my hair. "Good. I'd hate to see someone so precious to me getting injured or killed." With that, he started down the hall, waving us along. "Let's go find Akatsuki."_

_I nodded. "Right!"_

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><p>Tears start to fall from my eyes, and I wipe them away vigorously, remembering how Kaname told me not to cry all those years ago. Then again… he told me a lot of lies. A lot of empty words to use me for his own purposes, and I… believed him. Like a fool, I believed him whole-heartedly.<p>

The tears come faster, and this time, I make no attempt to stop them.

"Y-you… you _lied _to me, Kaname-sama. Why? I… I trusted you… I gave you everything!"

I cover my eyes, falling to the floor and dragging my hands through the dust on the floor.

"I never said no! I l-let you do wh-whatever you wanted! You would yell at me, beat me, torture me, y-you gave my… my innocence away to someone else… and then you killed my child… my baby girl, you killed her… right in front of me…"

My chest starts to ache and somehow ending up prostrate on the floor, dust invading my lungs as I gasp for air.

_K-Kaname-sama… why?_

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><p><strong>A\N: So yeah... Aido is having a mental breakdown. *hugs him; strokes his hair* As for his child, it was probably just with some random Level D Kaname turned... it wasn't any of the main characters. But it severely hurt Aido, and he sort of locked it away. You're going to hear more about this child in the future. ^^<br>**

**Please review! Please?  
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	19. Chapter 19

**A\N: Sorry for the wait on this! I hope you all enjoy! ^^  
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><p><strong>**Zero's POV**<strong>

The door finally breaks open, and Ruka stumbles in with Yuki and Akatsuki on her heels. I jumped to my feet, stumbling at first because of my injuries. The girls look horrible—then again, I can't imagine I look that great myself—and Akatsuki looks like he's on the verge of death.

"Set him down on the floor. Did you get the vinegar?"

Yuki holds up a jug. "Yeah, I have it."

I grab it and rip off the lid, looking inside. "Good. Where are we?"  
>Ruka blinks, pointing over her shoulder. "You mean the house? Kaname built it on the Cross Academy property…"<p>

"Go to my room and get the red bag from underneath my bed," I order, lowering my ear to Akatsuki's chest and listening closer.

Yuki stands up an nods, flashing out of the room with pureblood speed and returning just a split second later with the requested item. It's strange… I forgot she was a pureblood now… for a while, she just seemed like… human Yuki.

"I got the bag."

Remembering the nearly deaf vampire on the floor, I take it from her hands, tearing it open and searching through it quickly. I find a small bottle with a dissolvable tablet inside. Popping open the vinegar, I pour the liquid into the little bottle, watching the tablet fizzle out and dissolve.

"You said you were pretty sure he poisoned himself, right?" I ask, opening his mouth.

"Right!" Yuki nods, but Ruka looks unable to speak. She's shaking and watching her best friend with wide, horrified eyes.

"Here goes nothing," I mutter, pouring the liquid down his throat and forcing his mouth shut. I sit him up slightly so he won't choke and massage his throat to make him swallow. His muscles respond accordingly, and soon he's coughing and sputtering back to life.

Barely.

"Akatuski, can you hear me?"

The noble moans, shifting in my arms, and I take that to be a yes.

"Do you remember anything? Do you know where you are?"

He opens his eyes slowly and stares up at me with a pained expression on his face. "I… I wanted to… leave…"

I frown. "I know. But we need you here."

Akatsuki stares at me blankly, eyes glazed over with pain.

"Akatsuki… it's going to get better."

Yuki peers at him from over my shoulder, and I see her nodding in my peripheral vision. Ruka moves closer to him, kneeling down and pulling him into her arms. She lowers her head to his shoulder and begins to sob quietly. He wraps his arms around her, still in a daze, and holds her close.

I stand up and step back a little, wanting to give them some space, and I turn to Yuki. Now that I have a chance to look at her, I notice her hair is very short and choppy. It looks very wild.

"Your hair looks cute," I say, reaching out and fingering a small strand.

She blinks at me and then looks down at the floor. "You don't have to pretend for me. I know Kaname made it all… like it is."

I scowl. "Kuran did this? Against your will?" My fists clench with the anger coursing through me, but I push it inside. I'm conserving all my energy for our confrontation. "Yuki, I really do like it. It's… wild and crazy. Bright. It reminds me of summer. Of a pixie. It's cute." I feel awkward stumbling through my compliment, but I hope she sees it's sincere.

She stares at me for a few moments, and then her cheeks turn a light shade of pink. "Thank you, Zero…"

I shrug it off as no big deal, looking over my shoulder at Akatsuki and Ruka. "What now?" I ask, turning back to face her again.

"Can we escape?"

I sigh heavily. "I don't think so… he's always close by, you know that. And we're all weak right now…"

Yuki stares at the ground, biting her lip. "You're right… We could never win…"

I rub the back of my neck and roll my shoulders, trying to loosen up my stiff muscles. "We should wait, plan, train hard, and try again when there's actually a chance of success."

Yuki nods slowly, holding her chin in her hand. "Alright…" She reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small charm. "Put your blood on the rose in the center."

I bite my thumb, smearing the blood over the metal. She whispers a few words and the charm glows red, then purple, and finally white. She places the charm on my chest and after a few seconds, the glow turns gold. Then it starts sinking into my skin, lodging itself in my chest, and I feel a sort of… tingling, cool sensation fill my body.

I shudder a bit as it fades away, giving her an odd look. "What was that?"

"It's a pureblood charm. It will help your injuries heal faster and decrease the pain. Kaname won't be able to sense it because I put a block on it. Try and get better as quickly as you can." She smiles at me, and I feel a bit stronger. Whether it's her or the charm, I don't know, but I feel ready for the battle that lies ahead.

"You guys should leave. We have no idea when Kuran will come back…"

Akatsuki staggers to his feet, and Ruka helps him stand. Yuki also helps him, and the trio moves towards the door.

"We'll keep in touch!" Yuki says.

I nod as they run out of the room, shutting the broken, battered door behind them. I sit down slowly, fatigue taking me over. Still, though, I feel strong.

I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm ready for it.


End file.
